Why Discover Video?

Almost every community in the US has PEG channels.  Community media is a vital and thriving community that brings democracy and community-based content to Cable-TV.  But we may need to redefine what we mean by "Cable-TV" as more and more citizens elect to get their content online, and the sources for PEG content is no longer limited to just one studio.

Discover Video is a member of the Alliance for Community Media (ACM).  We are an active board member of our local PEG channel.  We serve the PEG community with our products, services, and advocacy.

Discover Video PEG solutions:

• Live streaming (simulcast) of community TV channels on the Internet
• Video on Demand equipment and services
• Mobile Broadcasting  - Live feeds to stations over fiber, wired and wireless networks
• Telvue (Princeton) Broadcast Servers
• AT&T U-verse connection equipment and services
• Transcoding live community TV streams for viewing on mobile devices

Many of Discover Video’s PEG community TV stations stream on the Internet using the Discover Video Content Delivery Network (CDN).  The live streams can be viewed on the Discover Video PEG streaming webpage:  http://www.pegstreaming.com
Why PEGs do business with Discover Video:

• We are committed to the community
• We know the products and technology (we even invented some of it)
• Regional Audio/Video product distributors are not usually good sources of IT technology (they sell cameras, not IP routers)
• Discover Video provides our own specialized products selected and optimized for PEG use

AT&T recommends us for U-Verse, and we have a lot of experience.

Resources for PEGs

• Pegstreaming.com - Check out the large number of PEG stations across the country already streaming their content online!
• AT&T U-verse - Learn more about U-verse
• Discover Video Streaming Bandwidth Calculator- feel free to use our calculator from this link to determine your streaming bandwidth needs

Case Study: Live Streaming of Community TV channels on Internet

Challenge:
Belmont Media Center in Massachusetts has 3 community TV channels – government, education, and public.  Its channels are broadcast live on the local cable stations to citizens of Belmont.   Belmont, located close to Boston, has many citizens with long commutes to work.  In addition, many older citizens spend their winters in Florida and other warm climates.   The challenge was to deliver live broadcasts over the Internet to citizens that were not able see the programs on TV.

Solution:
Discover Video provided Belmont Media Center VBrick Windows Media encoder appliances to stream the channels on the Internet.   The VBricks take a standard analog video/audio feed and stream it out to the Internet on a cable modem connection.  Discover Video also provided Belmont Media Center Internet affordable content deliver services.   Now each channel can be viewed anywhere in the world on most PCs, Macs, and mobile devices.

Link to Belmont Media Center:  www.belmontmedia.org

Equipment: 

• VBrick Windows Media Appliance

Service:

• Discover Video 10 GB/month Internet streaming and storage

Case Study: Community TV Video on Demand

Challenge:
Wallingford Public Access TV (Wallingford, CT) had a large variety of programs available for broadcast on cable TV.   Each program was scheduled on the channel and broadcast several times a week. Many of the Wallingford residents followed the programs on cable but sometimes missed them. The challenge was to provide a method for the residents to watch the programs on their schedule.

Solution:
Discover Video provided Wallingford Public Access TV an Internet based Video on Demand service.  It included the DV Video Publisher software for converting DVDs and MPEG-2 files to Windows Media format for Internet publishing.   The Video Publisher VOD service also allowed WPAA TV to categorize, add titles and descriptions, create video chapters, and upload the programs to the Discover Video Internet server.   Once on the server, residents can select the programs from a customized viewing webpage.   Now, the town residents have the ability to see the local programs from PCs and Macs at their convenience and from any location.
Link to the Wallingford Public TV website:  http://wpaa.tv

Equipment: 

• DV Video Publisher Software for PC

Service:

• DV Video Publisher Internet VOD service

Case Study: Mobile Broadcasting - Live Remote Feeds

Challenge:
Methuen Public TV (located in Methuen, MA) provides a large variety of programs on its community TV channel.    The live programs are broadcast from the studio or remote locations with cable modulators.   The station wanted to provide a larger variety of live programs from outside the studio.   The challenge was to provide high quality video and audio from remote events back to the station for live broadcast on cable TV.

Solution:
Discover Video provided Methuen Public TV a mobile broadcasting kit consisting of Discover Video Multimedia Encoder (DVME) software loaded on a laptop and a Soft Top Box decoder.  At a recent parade the DMVE laptop was connect to a camera and microphone through a USB video/audio dongle.   During the parade the video/audio was streamed through a local Internet connection back to the station.  The Discover Video Soft Top Box decoder received the Internet stream and decoded it back to standard full screen NTSC video and audio.  The resulting video was fed to the cable modulator and broadcast live on the cable system.  
Link to Methuen Community TV:  http://www.methuentv.org

Equipment:

• Discover Video Multimedia Encoder Software on Dell Laptop PC
• Hauppauge USB Live 2 analog to digital adapter
• Discover Video Soft Top Box software on a mini PC

Service:

• Discover Video Internet streaming service
• Discover Video Web based control of DVME and Soft Top Box

Case Study:  Live Streaming and AT&T U-verse Connection

Challenge:
West Hartford Community TV (Hartford, CT) had 3 community TV channels that were broadcast on the Comcast Cable system.  Recently, AT&T has installed its U-verse service in West Hartford and the subscriber base has grown considerably.   Many U-verse subscribers were interested in viewing the West Hartford community TV channels on the U-verse network but could not. 

Solution:
Discover Video provided West Hartford Public TV an AT&T U-verse kit for each community TV channel.   It consisted of a reliable VBrick Windows Media encoding appliance and Cisco router.   Discover Video also included Internet streaming for each channel with a customized viewing page.  The entire system was delivered, installed, configured, and tested by Discover Video.    Now West Hartford Community TV can be seen on Comcast Cable, AT&T U-verse, and the Internet.  The entire system was funded by AT&T, allowing West Hartford Community TV to use its normal income for salaries and training of volunteers.
Link to West Hartford Community TV:  http://www.whctv.org

Equipment:

• VBrick Windows Media appliance
• Cisco router

Service:

• AT&T U-verse and Discover Video Internet streaming

Resources for PEGs

• Pegstreaming.com - Check out the large number of PEG stations across the country already streaming their content online!
• AT&T U-verse - Learn more about U-verse

• Discover Video Streaming Bandwidth Calculator - feel free to use our calculator below to determine your streaming bandwidth needs: